Polycarbonates are well known thermoplastic polymers which, due to their many advantageous physical and mechanical propertes, are utilized as thermoplastic engineering materials. These polycarbonates exhibit many advantageous properties such as, for example, toughness, impact strength, flexibility, and optical clarity.
However, the polycarbonates are generally somewhat susceptible to hydrolytic degradation. It has long been known that various compounds, such as the epoxides, stabilize polycarbonates against hydrolytic degradation. While many chemicals are effective hydrolytic stabilizers for polycarbonates, not all of these compounds are practical. This is due to the fact that in order for a compound to be of practical use as a hydrolytic stabilizer not only must it be effective in stabilizing polycarbonates against hydrolytic degradation, but it must also not significantly deleteriously affect the advantageous physical and mechanical properties of the polycarbonate.
It is, therefore, an object of the instant invention to provide a new class of hydrolytic stabilizers for polycarbonates.